India 'launches strikes against militants' over attack in Kashmir

India's army has earlier reported that it has carried out "surgical strikes" against suspected militants along the de-facto border with Pakistan in Kashmir.

According to a senior officer, the operation was aimed at preventing attacks being planned by Pakistan-based militants. He said "significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who are trying to support them".

Meanwhile, the Pakistan denies India carried out any strikes and says two of its soldiers were killed in cross-border shelling.

In a statement, the Pakistan said, "The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists' bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects".

The Pakistan also said its soldiers died in "unprovoked" firing along the Line of Control (LoC) dividing the disputed region.

The Press Trust of India quoted sources, saying the operation took place between midnight and 04:30 local time on Thursday, that it was a combination of helicopter and ground forces, and seven militant "launch pads" had been targeted . Later, Pakistan captured an Indian soldier in a village in the Goi sector on the Pakistani side of the LoC.

India, has however, blamed the attack on Pakistan, which denied the claim.

A territorial argument between the two countries over Muslim-majority Kashmir has been running for decades, but tensions flared earlier this month after a militant attack on an Indian army base in Kashmir left 18 soldiers dead.

"One soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles with weapons has inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side of the Line of Control (LoC)," said a statement from an Indian army official in Delhi.

At a joint press briefing by the army and the foreign ministry, officials said the "motive of the operation was to hit out at terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into our territory".

India's Director General of Military Operations, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, also blamed Pakistan for "being unable to control terror activities in territories under its control".

Source: BBC